Cosmetic compact

ABSTRACT

The compact comprises a base, a cover, a frame in the base and a tray that has a first tray section and an opposed second tray section. The cover and frame are pivotably mounted on the base. The tray is rotatably mounted in the frame and is rotatable relative to the base so that either the first tray section of the tray or the second tray section of the tray faces away from or towards the base. Each tray section has at least one compartment retain one or more cosmetic compositions typically contained in a thin-walled metal pan (godet).

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/820,276 filed Jul. 25, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to compacts. More particularly this invention relates to compacts containing cosmetics for application by a user. Cosmetics such as face powder, eye shadow, rouge, foundation, blush, cake mascara, lip stick and like cosmetics compositions are often packaged in containers typically referred to as compacts. Typical compacts include a base formed as a tray with one of more recesses in which a cosmetic composition is stored, typically in compressed form, and a cover that overlies the base and encloses the composition(s) stored in the recess(es) so as to prevent drying out, spillage, and contamination of the stored composition(s). Typically the base and cover are hinged together along one side of the compact and means are provided that enable the user to manually releasably close the compact.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,518,594 discloses a vanity case consisting of a base member and a mirrored cover member. A container (also referred to as an intermediate member) is mounted between the base and cover and is provided with means for securing to the intermediate member a plurality of toilet accessories such as compacts. The intermediate member is detachably mounted in the casing on a pivot pin and preferably has a pair of compacts, such as a rouge compact and a powder compact, secured to it. The pair of compacts can be arranged back to back or both can be outwardly facing.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,314 discloses an improvement in compacts provided with a mirror. Patentee's aim is to protect the mirror from the effects of powder contained in the compact when the compact is closed. Patentee also seeks to enable use of the mirror (which is typically fixed to the inside of the compact cover) when the compact is closed. Another feature of the patentee's invention is that the mirror is rotatably mounted within the cover and automatically pivots upon the opening or closing of the cover so that the mirror is faces outwards when the compact is closed. In such position the mirror is shielded from the effects of powder loosened from the puff or the powder in the recess and the mirror can be used for application of, for example, lipstick. When the compact is open, the mirror faces inward and can be used for application of the powder. The base of patentee's compact contains a powder retaining recess for the powder and powderpuff.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,294 discloses a compact having a base and/or a cover having a peripheral frame and a central panel. Patentees teach that, when the base member comprises a frame and panel, one of the major faces of the panel is formed as a tray for holding material to be contained in the compact. Patentees further teach that when the cover member comprises a frame and panel, at least one of the major faces of the panel bears a mirror. The panel is shaped and dimensioned to be rotatable, relative to the frame, through at least 180° between two positions in which the opposite major faces of the panel are respectively exposed to the exterior of the compact when the compact is closed with the panel lying substantially flush with the frame in each of these positions. The compact can be closed with the contents of the panel tray exposed to the exterior of the compact or with the mirror on the opposite side of the panel exposed to the exterior of the compact.

Women of the 21^(st) century are obliged to carry handbags and purses that are heavy and crammed with wallets, credit card holders, and a host of cosmetic and/or cosmeceutical products. There is a need to decrease congestion and weight of a woman's, handbag and purse without reducing access to the host of cosmetic products required by today's woman on the go.

The present invention provides a cosmetic compact that consolidates in one compact a plurality of cosmetic compositions. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions are held in a two sided tray having a plurality of wells on each side, each well being adapted to receive a pan pre-charged with a host of cosmetic compositions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a compact for one or more cosmetic compositions, preferably for a plurality of cosmetic compositions. The term cosmetic compositions is intended to include cosmetic and cosmeceutical compositions, as known in the cosmetic arts, especially powder compositions in the form of a cake powder also known as a pressed powder, for example face powder, eye shadow, rouge, foundation, blush, cake mascara, lip stick, and the like.

The compact comprises a base and a cover that overlies the base to define a compact casing. The cover is pivotably mounted on the base for rotation upward from the base to an open position, or downwards from the open position toward the base to close the compact. The compact further comprises a central frame having a through space, the frame being nested within the base, and a two-sided tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section, the tray being nested in the frame within the through space and rotatable within the frame when the cover is in the open position. Accordingly, the first tray section can be rotated from a position facing away from the base to a position in which the first tray section is facing toward the base. Consequently, the second tray section rotates simultaneously from a position facing towards the base to a position in which the second tray section faces away from the base. The first and second tray sections of the two-sided tray are provided with a plurality of wells adapted to receive the cosmetic composition. The cosmetic composition is typically pre-formed within a thin-walled tin or aluminum pan that can be fixed within the wells.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact comprises (a) a base and (b) a cover that overlies the base to define a compact casing. The cover is pivotably mounted on the base for rotation upward from the base to an open position, or downwards from the open position toward the base to close the compact. The compact further comprises (c) s a central frame having a through space, the frame being nested within the base and being pivotably mounted on the base for rotation upward from the base toward the cover or downward from the cover toward the base, and (d) a two-sided tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section. The tray is nested in the frame within the through space and rotatable within the frame when the cover is in the open position, and the frame has been pivoted upwards from the base. When the tray is rotated in the frame, the first tray section rotates from a position facing away from the base to a position facing toward the base. Consequently, the second tray section rotates simultaneously from a position facing towards the base to a position facing away from the base. In one embodiment, the first and second tray sections of the two-sided tray are provided with a plurality of compartments adapted to receive the cosmetic composition. In another embodiment, at least one tray section receives (e) a tray insert having the plurality of wells containing the cosmetic composition. Preferably, each tray section receives a tray insert. The cosmetic composition is typically pre-formed within a thin-walled tin or aluminum pan that can be fixed within the compartments or the wells, as the case may be. The tray inserts may be replaceable to allow consumers to replenish their supply of cosmetic. Alternatively, the pans may be removable from the wells so that refill pans can be inserted in their stead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, from above, of a cosmetic compact in accordance with the present invention, the compact being closed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the compact of FIG. 1 with the cover pivoted to the open position and showing the mirror and tray;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the compact of FIG. 2 with the frame and tray assembly pivoted upwards and away from the base;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the compact of FIG. 3 with the tray rotated in the frame;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly of the cover, frame and base;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the frame, tray and tray insert;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the compact shown in of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the compact shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the compact shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 10 is a cutaway partial view of the tray-frame assembly to illustrate an alternate method of rotatably attaching the tray to the frame.

FIG. 11 is an alternate embodiment of the tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the drawings, particularly FIG. 4, the compact 1 of the present invention has a base 2 having opposed side walls 4 a, 4 b and a front wall 3. Front wall 3 is typically thicker than opposed side walls 4 a, 4 b and has a recessed portion 5. As best shown in FIG. 5, opposed side walls 4 a, 4 b of base 2 are respectively provided on their rear interior surfaces with base flanges 21 a, 21 b.

A cover 7 overlies base 1 to define an interior compartment and is pivotally mounted on base 1. Together the base 2 and the overlying cover 7 define a compact casing. Cover 7 has shallow opposed side walls, 8 a, 8 b and a shallow front wall 9. Front wall 9 of cover 7 has an extended portion 10 which fits in recessed portion 5 when the cover is pivoted downwards toward base 2 to close the compact. As best shown in FIG. 5, cover 7 also includes rear wall 6 described below in greater detail.

Recess 11 a and tab 11 b are provided, respectively, on the extended portion 10 and in the recessed portion 5, and cooperate to releasably maintain the compact in the closed position when cover 7 is pivoted to close compact 1 with extended portion 10 engaging recessed portion 5. Any suitable closure system known in the art, however, many be used. Cover 7 can be fitted with mirror 12. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, mirror 12 is positioned on the underside of cover 7.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, frame 13 is pivotally mounted on base flanges 21 a, 21 b on opposed side walls 4 a, 4 b of base 2 and is comprised of opposed side walls 14 a, 14 b, front wall 15 having a cut out portion 16 which facilitates lifting of the frame by a user's finger, and a rear wall 17.

As shown in FIG. 5, frame 13 is provided with frame flanges 18 a, 18 b that are positioned adjacent base flanges 21 a, 21 b. Each of flanges 18 a, 18 b has a pin hole therethrough (19 a, 19 b) that align with corresponding pin holes 20 a and 20 b in base flanges 21 a, 21 b.

Rear wall 6 of cover 7 is provided with an extension 6A dimensioned to fit between frame flanges 18 a, 18 b. Extension 22 is provided with pin holes 31 a and 31 b, which lie along the same axis as pin holes 19 a, 19 b in flanges 18 a, 18 b and in the same axis as pin holes 20 a, 20 b in base flanges 21 a, 21 b. That is, pin holes 20 a, 20 b, 18 a, 18 b, 31 a, 31 b are in alignment, and consequently, lie along the same axis. Pins 45 are inserted through pin holes 20 a, 20 b, 18 a, 18 b, 31 a, 31 b to attach frame 13, base 2, and cover 7. Cover 7 and frame 13 are then able to pivot away from or towards base 2. While pins 45 are preferred to affix the frame pivotally to the base, any suitable attachment method used in the art can be used. For example, a ball and socket can be employed. In another embodiment, the opening of cover 7 to its fullest extent can cause the frame 13 to lift upwards a small amount from its nested position within the base 2, to allow the consumer to then completely pivot the frame from proximate the base. This construction obviates the need for cut out 16 in front wall 15.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, frame 13 is fitted with a two-sided tray 22. Tray 22 has first tray section 26 and opposed second tray section 27 (tray section 27 is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9), each tray section 26, 27 having shallow side walls that define at least one compartment.

In one embodiment, the tray section(s) have a plurality of compartments that contain one or more cosmetic compositions. In one aspect of this embodiment and as shown in FIG. 6, the shallow side walls of tray sections 26, 27 define a single compartment, which compartment is provided with a tray insert 23 having at least one well, but preferably having at least two wells, for example, wells 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d of tray insert 23 a, to contain one or more cosmetic compositions. The tray insert 23 is retained in tray 22 by suitable means, for example, by a friction fit or by a magnet positioned on the bottom surface of tray section 26 or 27 as the case may be, with a complementary metal strip on the bottom surface of tray insert 23. One or more of the cosmetic compositions contained in the one or more compartments or the one or more wells may be a pressed powder cosmetic composition.

Each well 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d (also referred to as a “recess”) can contain a different cosmetic composition, for example, a cake mascara, rouge, foundation, blush, face powder, lip stick, eye shadow, etc. Alternatively, different shades of the same cosmetic composition can be provided. The wells can be sized according to the type of make-up that is used most frequently. As discussed in more detail below the cosmetic composition, especially a pressed powder cosmetic composition 29, is preferably retained in a metal pan 28 that is fixed within the tray compartments or the tray insert wells. Preferably, a plurality of wells or compartments in each tray section contain a pressed powder cosmetic composition, and typically all wells or compartments in at least one tray section contain a pressed powder cosmetic composition.

Referring to FIG. 6, the second tray section 27 (shown in FIG. 8) of tray 22 is preferably also fitted with second tray insert 23 b having at least one well, but preferably having at least two wells (recesses), for example separate wells 25 a, 25 b and 25 c.

In another embodiment, the two-sided tray, tray 22 a as shown in FIG. 11, is fabricated, for example, by molding, as a unitary piece in which at least one side of the two-sided tray and preferably both sides have interior wall(s) 48 that define two or more compartments, for example, compartments 49 a, 49 b, 49 c, and 49 d shown in FIG. 11. The compartments 49 provide the same function as the wells 24, 25 formed in the tray inserts 23 a and 23 b, namely to hold the cosmetic composition, as set forth in the discussion below describing the operation of compact 1 having wells 24, 25.

As is shown in FIG. 9, and more clearly in FIG. 4, tray 22 (or tray 22 a in the discussion below) is rotatably mounted in frame 13. Accordingly, tray 22 can be rotated so that either tray section 26 or tray section 27 of tray 22 is upward facing, with respect to the cover 7. In other words, tray 22 can be rotated so that the wells 24 in tray insert 23 a are upward facing and the wells 25 in insert 23 b are downward facing or tray 22 can be rotated so that the wells 24 in insert 23 a are downward facing and the wells 25 in insert 23 b are upward facing. The tray 22 may be rotatably retained in the frame by means of pins 35. In another embodiment a ball and socket may be used to rotatably maintain the tray 22 within the through space of frame 13. As shown in FIG. 10, the tray side walls 36 a, 36 b outer surfaces may each be provided with a socket 38, with each interior surface of side walls 14 a, 14 b being provided with a complementary ball 40. The balls 40 engage sockets 38 providing removable, pivotable attachment of the tray 22 within the frame 13. Similarly, tray 22 a is provided with sockets 38 providing removable, rotatable attachment of tray 22 a within frame 13. The frame or tray may also have means to help retain the tray in nested position within the frame. For example, the interior surfaces of side walls 14 a, 14 b of frame 13 may be provided with one or more lands 30 to provide a friction fit with tray 22. Alternately, the lands may be placed on the outer surfaces of the side walls of the tray. In another embodiment, the front and/or rear walls of tray 22 may be molded to have a ridge line centrally located between the opposed side walls of the tray 22, the central ridge frictionally engaging the interior surface of the respective wall of frame 13.

The two-sided, multi-compartment tray of the compact of the present invention allows for variation of product mixes based on type of composition, format, texture, shade, and/or color. The compact may also contain either in a compartment of tray 22 or a well 24, 25 of tray insert 23, in the compartment 49 of tray 22 a, or in the interior compartment of the cosmetic casing, one or more cosmetic implements or tools needed by consumers to apply the make-up to the face, lips, or eyes, for example, a brush, a to foam-tipped eye shadow applicator, a poof, and the like. A make-up removal tool may also be provided. From the consumer's perspective, the present invention provides a compact for all of the user's cosmetic needs for the face, eyes and lips and frees up space in a woman's handbag or purse.

One compact can be utilized for:

-   -   (i) facial products such as face powder, shimmer powder,         foundation (e.g. powder, hot pour), and all over glow shimmer         hot pour;     -   (ii) blush products such as shimmer blush, concealer, and         camouflage;     -   (iii) eye products such as, eye shadow (shimmer and cream), eye         shadow liner (wet/dry), eyeliner, eyelid primer, and cake         mascara;     -   (iv) lip products such as, lipstick, lip gloss, lip primer, lip         exfoliator, and matte lip stain; and         or (v) any combination thereof.

In the manufacturing process, the cosmetic composition is added to a thin walled tin or aluminum pan 28 whose shape conforms to the shape of a compartment 49 in tray 22A or a well 24, 25 in the tray insert 23 a, 23 b into which it is to be placed. When the cosmetic composition is a powder, the powder is placed in pan 28 and compressed to provide a pressed powder cosmetic 29. Pan 28 is then inserted into the well or compartment (for example, well 24 a, as shown in FIG. 6). If desired, the pan can be fixed in the well (compartment) with any suitable adhesive. In the manufacturing process, it is preferred that the powder not be compressed directly in the wells or compartments, e.g., well 24 a or compartment 49, because the tray 22, 22 a or the tray insert 23 a, 23 b may not be able to withstand high compression forces.

The use of individual pans 28 (also referred to as godets) is advantageous in that it allows for expeditious filling/manufacturing, the ability to fill at more than one site, and the ability to rapidly change product mixes in response to changes in fashion and consumer trends. Advantageously, the pans 28 can be removable so that consumers can replace spent pans, or try different color cosmetic combinations. In this embodiment pans 28 can be retained in the compartment (or well) in suitable manner, for example, they can be friction fit within the wells 24, 25, or held in place by a magnet on the bottom surface of the well when the pan is made of ferromagnetic material such as tin plated steel or has a strip of such material on its bottom surface. Moreover, individual pans can be tooled to various shapes and sizes without retooling the entire compact which translates to a savings in tooling expense.

It should be noted that although the compact of the present invention has been described and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred box shaped embodiment, other shaped compacts are intended to be within the scope of the invention, for example cylinders, round, oval and egg shaped compacts.

The compact may be fabricated by methods known in the art. Typically, the component parts are injected molded from a suitable polymer, preferably using acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin or styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resin and especially a mixture of ABS and SAN resins.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A cosmetic compact comprising a base and a cover, the cover overlying the base to define a compact casing, the cover being pivotably mounted on the base for rotation upward from the base to an open position or downwards from the open position toward the base to close the compact; a central frame having a through space, the frame being nested within the base, and a two-sided tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section, the first and second tray sections of the two-sided tray having at least one compartment adapted to receive a cosmetic composition, the tray being nested in the through space of the frame and rotatable within the frame when the cover is in the open position, whereby the first tray section can be rotated from a position facing away from the base to a position in which the first tray section is facing toward the base and the second tray section is rotated simultaneously from a position facing towards the base to a position in which the second tray section faces away from the base.
 2. The compact of claim 1 further comprising one or more pressed powder cosmetic compositions, the cosmetic composition(s) being pre-formed within a metal pan that is retained within the at least one compartment.
 3. The compact of claim 1 further comprising a tray insert provided in at least one compartment of the at least one tray section, the tray insert having at least one well.
 4. The compact of claim 2 wherein the tray section has one compartment and the tray insert has a plurality of wells.
 5. The compact of claim 1 further comprising one or more pressed powder cosmetic compositions, the cosmetic composition(s) being pre-formed within a metal pan that is fixed within the plurality of wells.
 6. The compact of claim 1 further comprising one or more pressed powder cosmetic composition(s), and wherein the at least one compartment of one or both of tray sections is provided with at least one interior wall to define two or more compartments that receive the pressed powder cosmetic composition(s).
 7. The compact of claim 6 wherein the pressed powder cosmetic composition is pre-formed within a metal pan that is retained within the compartment.
 8. The compact of claim 7 wherein the metal pan is removable from the compartment.
 9. The compact of claim 1 further including a mirror mounted on the cover.
 10. A cosmetic compact comprising a base; a cover overlying the base to define a compact casing; a frame nested within the base; a tray rotatably mounted within the frame, the tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section; and at least one pressed powder cosmetic composition contained in each tray section, the cover and base being pivotably mounted with respect to one another on a common axle, whereby when the cover is pivoted upwards from the base, the tray can be rotated within the frame so that in one position the first tray section is upward facing and in the opposed position the second tray section is upward facing.
 11. The compact of claim 10 wherein each tray section has a plurality of compartments, at least one compartment in each tray section containing a pressed powder cosmetic composition.
 12. The compact of claim 10 wherein the frame is pivotable on said common axle.
 13. The compact of claim 12 wherein each tray section has a plurality of compartments, at least one compartment in each tray section containing a pressed powder cosmetic composition.
 14. The compact of claim 13 wherein the pressed powder cosmetic composition is pre-formed within a metal pan fixed within the compartments.
 15. The compact of claim 12 wherein each tray section has one compartment, the compact further comprising a tray insert retained in each tray section compartment, each tray insert having a plurality of wells, at least one well in each tray insert containing a pressed powder cosmetic composition.
 16. The compact of claim 14 wherein the pressed powder cosmetic composition is pre-formed within a metal pan that is retained within the compartments.
 17. The compact of claim 16 wherein the tray has a unitary construction.
 18. The compact of claim 17 wherein the metal pan is removable from the compartment.
 19. The compact of claim 11 wherein a plurality of compartments in each tray section contain a pressed powder cosmetic composition.
 20. A cosmetic compact comprising a base; a cover overlying the base to define a compact casing; a frame in the base having a through space; a tray rotatably mounted within the through space of the frame, the tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section, each tray section having at least one compartment, and at least one pressed powder cosmetic composition pre-formed within a metal pan that is retained within the contained in the at least one compartment of each tray section, the cover, frame and base being pivotably mounted with respect to one another on a common axle, whereby when the cover is pivoted upwards from the base, the tray can be rotated within the frame so that in one position the first tray section is upward facing and in the opposed position the second tray section is upward facing.
 21. The compact of claim 20 wherein the tray has a unitary construction, and wherein the pan is removable from the compartment.
 22. The compact of claim 20 further comprising a cosmetic implement contained in a compartment.
 23. A cosmetic compact comprising (a) a base; (b) a cover positioned above the base to define a cosmetic casing having an interior compartment, the cover being pivotally attached to the base; (c) a frame having a front wall, a rear wall and opposing side walls defining a through space, the frame being nested within the base, the frame being pivotally engaged between the cover and the base; (d) a tray having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section, the first and second tray sections having a plurality of compartments, the tray being rotatable within the frame from a first position at which the first tray section faces away from the base to a second position at which the first tray section faces the base; and (e) a pan residing in one or more compartments, the pans containing a cosmetic composition.
 24. The compact of claim 23 wherein the base has a front wall and opposed first side walls, the opposed first side walls defining an aperture at the rear of the base and wherein the cover has a front wall, a rear wall opposed to the front wall, and opposed side walls, at least a portion of the rear wall extending into the aperture at the rear of the base, the cover, the base and the frame being pivotable along a common axle defined by the rear walls of the frame, the rear wall extension of the cover and the aperture at the rear of the base.
 25. The compact of claim 23 wherein the frame includes flanges extending from its rear wall and the base includes flanges extending inwardly from its opposed side walls, the common axle including said frame flanges and said base flanges.
 26. A cosmetic compact comprising: (a) a base having a front wall and opposed side walls, the side walls defining an aperture at the rear of the base; (b) a cover having a front wall, opposed side walls, and a rear wall having an extension that fits within the aperture at the rear of the base; (c) a frame having opposed side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall defining a through space, at least one flange extending from the rear wall of the frame and into the aperture at the rear of the base; (d) the base side walls, the cover, the rear wall extension, and the frame flanges being pivotably affixed one to the other; and (e) a tray rotatably positioned within the frame having a first tray section and an opposed second tray section, each tray section having at least one compartment, said tray containing a cosmetic composition.
 27. The compact of claim 26 wherein the cosmetic composition is a pressed powder pre-formed within a metal pan that resides within the compartment.
 28. The compact of claim 27 wherein the cosmetic composition is a pressed powder cosmetic composition and wherein a plurality of compartments in each tray section contain a pressed powder cosmetic composition.
 29. The compact of claim 26 wherein the base includes flanges extending inwardly from its opposed side walls through which the base is pivotably attached to the frame and over.
 30. The compact of claim 29 in which pins pivotably attach the base, cover and frame.
 31. The compact of claim 26 wherein the tray is removably positioned within the frame.
 32. The compact of claim 31 wherein the tray is removably rotatably retained in the frame using a ball and socket.
 33. The compact of claim 32 wherein the tray is maintained in the frame using a friction fit. 